Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Whine, whine, whine....

Yes, Libby was whining today that I didn't show what I worked on this weekend yet. So this post is dedicated to Libby. She wanted to know how she could copy me and add my projects to her list if I didn't share!

Well my first project was fixing the piping I did on this quilt top which I made last year on this trip. I spent 2 hours ripping it out at home before I left. Then worked Thursday afternoon and night "redoing" the piping and the outside borders. Needless to say, it looks worse than it did before I fixed it! So I think it will stay the way it is and just try and quilt up the slack in the middle. How you do the piping is really cool. I used the Piping Hot Binding method. I think the problem was all me - not the method!


The other project I worked on this weekend was Michael's Victory by Carol Hopkins. I love how it turned out! Now I just need to figure out how I want to quilt it!


I also made myself 2 new pillowcases - just for fun!


And then I worked on some more "Follow the Drinking Gourd" blocks. Only 13 more to go. First I have to find some more fabric that works with this!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Don't Cry For Me....

Last night before I headed back home from my quilting weekend I got to see the traveling cast of Evita at Purdue! It was so much fun to go and see this with Holly. We had a really good time. I hadn't seen this musical yet so I really enjoyed it.

I also had a wonderful weekend with my friends eating, sewing and laughing! I don't know even where to start! Since I"m still behind on work emails and unpacking I'll show you Holly with her new messenger bag and then pillows Holly saw at the quilt store that she decided Adam (her boyfriend) and her NEEDED. So I bought fabric and got them sewn up. They both loved them. I made some pillow cases for myself as well!



Wednesday, January 23, 2008

My bags are packed - well at least in my head!

I'm off tomorrow morning to sew, sew, sew with Laura and friends! Sossy and Linda will be there too! It has been a few months since I"ve seen Laura so I can't wait to see her - we have so much to catch up on!

I still have all my packing to do, but I know what I want to take. All except some border fabric I need to fix a project I made last year and pushed off because I had to do a ton of ripping (I spent 2 hours last night doing that) and then fix it. And can you believe it - I can't find the fabric!

I did get the binding sewn down on my Men at work and washed it so it is all soft and wrinkly. So that is all I have for pics today - but I"ll have lots when I get back!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Happy Birthday Adam and Happy Pooh Day!

My oldest daughter Holly informed us of the very important coincidence. Today is child #2's birthday - no longer a teenager (yes I knew that part!) and it is also Winnie the Pooh Day! Coincidence? I told her no - I planned it that way. We have no idea how it started, but Adam always loved Pooh. And the older he got the more attached to his Pooh Bear he was. As a high schooler he would do things if Pooh asked him to do it, but if Mark or I would ask him forget it. (And no Pooh does not talk and we aren't hearing things - but Mark does this hysterical talking for Pooh). Uhhh - and if you blow the picture up you can see that Pooh has "the mange" from 20 years of loving. And he is filthy - even though we have sent him on many water rides through the washer!


Anyway, since Adam is now at that point in life where he won't talk to us, my best birthday wishes and memories will have to be shared here. Above is Adam at 3.


And here he is at about age 5 when I was pregnant with Emily and I took the 3 kids for a big brother/big sister class at the hospital. They were sooo cute!


And here he was at his high school graduation party. Wow have the years gone by!

Now for the embarassing part. I"ve seen several people playing "I Spy" with their cutting areas. Nicole started it with the idea for us to post pics and see who really has the messiest area. Well uhhhh mine is really a mess. This first picture is my raised cutting area. Well it got so full that I can't even cut on it anymore. So now I"m cutting on my sewing table. And notice things are starting to accumulate there too. Yeah I know, one of these days I should clean it - but you know, I'd rather be sewing!


I Spy 15 things on my "real" cutting table (first messy picture):

1. An Indian from Thanksgiving waiting for his feather to be crazy glued back on.
2. My GORGEOUS Hawaiian tool caddy from Sharon (and yes I have tons of stuff in it)!
3. A big roll of masking tape for pinning quilts.
4. My Dick Blick tracing paper I LOVE for sending through the printer and using for Triangulations or paper piecing.
5. Roxanne's Glue Baste It - can't live without it!
6. My wood storage container that my friends husband made for us for xmas. I keep all my little quilt things in it so I don't loose them - like the tips for the glue baste it!
7. Some thread drawers
8. Spool of thread shelf sitter
9. My broken magnetic pin holder with misc pins. (oh and I see a small black clip)
10. Lots of baggies of projects in process.
11. See the marshmallow fabric to the back - that is my S'more Sunbonnet Sue doll I made.
12. My orange tape measure from Menards.
13. To the far left my chicken pincushion I made long ago.
14. Quilting Diva notepad for those important quilt notes to friends.
15. My diet coke coaster which the Indian is standing on until I get him FIXED!

Wow - there is a whole lot more I could list - now that is sad!

Monday, January 14, 2008

Borders are on!

I got the borders on, but skipped starting to quilt it. Not sure what I want to do with that yet. And I had forgotten that I promised my oldest daughter that I would make a messenger bag for her. She comes home this coming weekend for a long weekend from college - so I decided I had best work on that! I still need to topstitch the flap and front top of the bag, and then put the shoulder strap on - but it is looking ok. I was kind of scared to attempt this one, but it was actually fairly fast.


I modified parts of the bag pattern on All People Quilt to make it.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

4 Patch Delight

I have the center of my 4-patch delight sewn together! I just have a thin inner border and then the outer border and it is ready to quilt! I just may try and get that started tomorrow! I"m having a hard time picking backing fabric, but I"ll figure it out - such decisions!

Friday, January 11, 2008

You Make My Day

Oh Pamina and Tracey were so nice they each gave me a "You Make My Day" award! Thank you so much. But I feel so bad! I have been pulled so thin lately I've been terrible in keeping up with everyone and even my own projects have suffered.

And hardest of all - how am I going to pick only 10 people. So I decided to pick some not so common blogs that maybe some of you don't know about and spread the wealth!

The rules for this award say to choose up to 10 people whose blog brings you happiness & inspiration and makes you feel happy about Blogland. Let them know by posting a note on their blog so they can pass it on.


Laura - my "real life" friend who I don't get to spend enough time with, quilting or otherwise.

Sossy - a new "real life" friend who I also don't see enough.

Linda - the "instigator" in my real life quilting trips!

Nann - an inspirational and "real life" friend who ALWAYS makes tons of stuff with her stash, she is amazing!

Tracey - we go back with emails and blogs for a long time. And wouldn't you just love to live on a farm like that!

Atet - the things she makes for her daughter are just adorable! And she lives not too far from me (in the grand scheme of things).

Libby - a wonderful blogger friend who quilt I just LOVE. I wish I could play with her.

Lynn - who lives not to far from me, and who always has wonderful quilts to share.

Lorre - oh my! A new blogger who so far I LOVE her posts! And her Quilts!

Kathie - who is always there. We've "known" each other online forever - way before blogs!

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

New Project Started

Life continues to be crazy at our house! At least high school started again this week and 2 of the 3 college ones are gone. Slowly things are settling in. Other than work continues to be busy, so keeping up with what everyone is working on is still a challenge!

Each month I teach a small Lori Smith Quilt. This month is 4-patch delight. Only I decided instead of making it 16" x 20" like the pattern to increase it so it will be approx 33" x 42". Here is my progress so far.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Men At Work - DONE!

And my 2nd finish for 2008! Don't worry - I've been working on this quilt off and on for 2 years now! I just took the time to quilt it over Christmas and the New Year holidays! And I still have to hand sew down the binding on the back. But I say it is done anyway!

This is an old block called Darting Birds. See the birds flying in the top picture. Why do I call it Men At Work? Flip the quilt - do you see the men!

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

First finish for 2008!

Here is my first finish for 2008! A reusable (and washable) market bag! I almost have 3 more done. 3 of them are Christmas gifts (yes I have a few more I need to make and give). This was a great mindless project for today.

Notice no unfinished seams inside! I used heavy weight decorating fabric, it was kind of fun looking at a different section of the fabric store!

Check out my friend Nann's progress report for 2007.....it is something to read!